Am I Dead Yet?
by twiistedfantasy
Summary: *MOCKINGJAY SPOILERS*  After Finnick's encounter with the lizard mutts, everyone thinks he's dead. But is he really?
1. Chapter 1

I fight as Katniss and the rest of the crew climb up the ladder. The lizard mutts skittering at me in every direction. I knew this was it. This is the end of everything. I grip hold of one of the pockets in my pants, taking out my picture of my lovely Annie, hoping she's safe somewhere. I clutch it for dear life as I fight. Then suddenly, a light was shone from above. It was Katniss on the ladder, shining the light from Cressida's gun down the shaft. 3 mutts tear at me as one yanks my head back and gets ready to take the death bite. I sneak a peak at Annie's picture, whispering a brief 'I love you' because I'm over and if this is the last thing I'm gonna do, its say 'I love you' to the one who turned my life around and made me see the best sides of life. The mutt bites in and injects its venom into my bloodstream. I'm frozen still for a moment then I feel as it courses through my veins. I then get sucked into a sea of a dream-like darkness.

When I awake, I do so in a dark, small, stuffy room. What is this place? I'm laying on what seems like a cold, concrete floor that's slightly dampened with what I hope is water, but when I slowly moved my maimed hand down to touch it and bring it into my hazy line of vision, I see that I am laying in a pool of my own blood. Where am I? I feel disgusting. I feel like every inch, every bone in my body is broken. Every skin cell body is torn. if I try to move, I'm hit by an intolerable amount of endearing, agonizing pain. I should be dead. I was dead. Maybe I'm in hell to suffer in this room eternally. I sigh, but then immediately regret doing this because when I do, it feels like all my ribs have been shattered and my lungs are on fire. I try and blink my eyes to get a clearer view on this room. Looking up, I see I am being watched. There is a camera in the top right corner of the ceiling. The little red light, flickering consistently, showing that it is indeed recording. Recognizing the camera, I realize I know exactly where I am. I'm in one of Snow's headquarters. I amount up some energy, lift my arm up and flip off the camera, knowing he's watching. I slump my hand back down and receive the consequences for moving with the pain. No later than 2 minutes later do I hear an eerie voice echoing from the barred up, tiny slit window in the locked, metal door.  
>"Are we awake, Mr. Odair?" Snow's voice creeps to my ear. I can hear the devilish grin on his face from the tone of his voice but I don't answer him.<br>"Nothing to say?" Snow asks.  
>I open my mouth to try and speak back. Try and say 'Fuck off, Snow.' But nothing comes out. Failing, I try again. To say anything at all.<br>"Good, then it's working." He says as I hear locks being opened as he works on the door. 'Good, then it's working'? What the hell is that supposed to mean? I move my mouth around, terrified that he might've turned me into an avox. Relief washes over me when I find my tongue still fully there, resting in my mouth. The metal door creaks open and I snarl when I see him.() He makes me sick. Almost as sick as the aroma of blood and roses that emits of him and floods my nose. I barely hear as he shouts out some strange names to come here. But when they do, it seems as though hell is about to get a lot worse. I clench my hands and to my curiosity, something crunches in my hand, still laying on the floor (mostly because I'm unable to do anything else), I lift my hand to my face and see I'm still holding a picture of Annie. It takes all my willpower not to cry. Dear God, I hope she's okay. I hope her fate is better than mine; one step away from hell.  
>"Okay men, I don't care how you have to do it, but I want you to bring Finnick to my office. He hasn't been very polite so don't feel like you have to be gentle." Snow points to me on the floor with his skinny finger. "And do me a favor, wash him up before you bring him in. He's filthy." He adds with a grin and stalks away. Its his fault I'm this way anyways. One burly man walks up to either side of me. I close my eyes and hope for the best. Pain is only what you make it to be. With that in mind I try and struggle with them. I throw punches here and there, kicking them where it counts, and spitting on them. I hear the murmured curses of the men when one of them brings out a syringe and laughs evily as I freeze in my spot and my eyes open. What the hell is that? But before I can snatch it out of his hand, he stabs it in my shoulder. I, again, am instantly falling in a sea of darkness.<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

I wake up fiercely to the sound of Annie screaming. I gasp, quickly sit up straight and open my eyes.  
>I try to shout out her name but nothing comes out. I look around frantically for where she is. I'm in a different room, my only company a jabberjay and a note placed in front of me. I open it and it reads "for your earlier behavior." Signed by the asshole himself "-President Snow". I look at the jabberjay and it makes eye contact with me. 2 seconds later, if flies above, landing on a rest above my head. It opens its mouth and screeches. It then morphs into a perfect replica of Annie screaming. I open my mouth in a silent scream. This is torture.<br>"Aaaahhh!" The Annie voice cries "Finnick!" The screams of complete terror and horrid climb higher and louder.  
>Why! Ahhh make it stop! I want to shout, putting my hands to my ears trying anything to it block out. I drag my nails to my forehead ripping them down my face. Stop! Make it stop! I run them to my hair, pulling at it. The bronze locks stay in place as my hands tear away. I cry out into the room even though I'm sure it only adds to what Snow ultimately wants. The cries slow down and stop. I start to hyperventilate. Why can't they just kill me already? Suddenly, a tone then Snow's eerie voice crawls through a speaker in the wall.<br>"Had enough yet, Odair?"  
>I open my mouth and try to speak, but fail yet again.<br>"Don't even try to talk, you won't be able to." I reach my hands up to my face again, clawing at it. Kill me. Kill me.  
>"I'll just come see you in person, can you handle youself?" I don't want to answer. He doesn't deserve it.<br>"I'll take that as a no." He says "so I'll just tell you over P.A" he takes a brief pause and continues.  
>"It's like my own special creation. I made it myself. Though I'm not sure what to call it, I'm quite proud of it. You should be proud of yourself too, you're the first test patient. And clearly, its very efficient. It gets the job done, as you can see." He pauses as if weighing out if he should say the next part or not, but he does. "You get your speech back if you behave then maybe, I'll consider giving you the antidote. If it even works." The devil's laugh rings through the system. "But now that I've got a test patient, we'll be able to make improvements."<br>I mouth the words 'fuck you' up in the open.  
>"That's not a good way to get the antidote Mr. Odair." But I just shrug. I could care less. My big mouth gets me in a lot of trouble anyways.<br>"Play it your way, see where it gets you." The President says mischievously. I flinch reflexively as the jabberjay adjusts itself above me. My eyes widen as I realize what I've just done. When I realize what's happening.  
>"Have fun. I know I will." The P.A cuts off. The jabberjay opens its mouth and the screams continue. I can't help but weep. I cry silent tears and put my hands to cover my ears. I'm not gonna win this one.<br>The screams and shouts subside but I haven't gotten any better. The scratches and wounds I got from the lizard mutts that were healed from the 'clean-up' have came back in self-induced injury from wanting to feel anything else than the pain of Annie's screams. What's the purpose of me being here? What are they trying to accomplish with me being hled captive here? Who else are they doing this to? Is Annie here? I hope she's okay. Its then, when I think that, that the screeching stops. Now my mind is free of that terror. 2 minutes later, I realize why it stopped. The same two men from before, dressed in all black, barge through the cold metal door. I scramble steadily to my feet and poise for a fight.  
>"Mr. Odair, the President requests your presence." One of the men snort at me unhappily. He cracks the blistered knuckles in his rough hands as he waits for a response.<br>"He can't reply, remember? Snow's secret recipe thing?

"Oh yeah." The other man responds, scratching his head as if ashamed by his forgetfulness.

"It doesn't matter Thane. Let's get to business and get this to Snow." _Get this to Snow _the sentence replays in my head. Get _this._ I am not a _this_. I am a human. Maybe that's how Snow thinks of people and that's why he can torture them so heartlessly. Because he doesn't see them as humans, he sees them as _things_. Inanimate objects that can be manipulated and toyed with without consequences. This gives me a new sense of pity for Snow.

"Mr. Odair, please come with us." Says the one called Thane, but I don't move an inch.

"Mr. Odair, you have one more chance to co-operate or we will have to bring you ourselves." Says the man of which name I do not know. He stares me down with his piercing green eyes with warning. I keep still and poised for attack. "Get him Evijan, it looks like we're going to have to force him."

The man named Evijan comes up to me but I throw an unexpected punch straight into his jaw, sending him flying into Thane. "You son of a bitch." Evijan murmurs as he straightens up. He charges quickly towards me, leaving me no time to protest against this action. I start kicking and get amused by their grunted _ow_'s or curses under their breath. I open my mouth in a silent protest as, again, Thane whips out the needle which looks like it contains sedative, but as if answering my thoughts, Evijan explains. "This will not put you to sleep, Odair. You will be able to feel everything, see everything, hear everything. Only thing is, you won't be able to move. Another one of our President's new concoctions that you'll be the tester of." He smiles devilishly as he rams the needle into my shoulder. Suddenly, it feels like my limbs are on fire, I open my mouth again forgetting nothing will come out. I try to move my hand up or struggle in opposition to the strong, moving hands against me, but nothing happens. I fall limp in their arms.

"Your ours to have fun with now." Thane utters rather sinisterly as he throws me over his shoulder –rather painfully- and walks swiftly behind Evijan. Unable to speak or move, I rest there uncomfortably and silently.


	3. Chapter 3

Thane positions me down on the chair in front of President Snow's large desk.

"Don't move a muscle" Thane laughs "Oh wait, you can't" He snorts his ugly laugh as he clamps me in the chair with cold metal chains. He pulls one across my chest, one across each of my arms and my legs. I roll my head back on the chair and stare into the ceiling, amazed I could do such a motion. The mixture must be wearing off, not that I'd let them know that. They'll just inject me with more. I slowly fidget around in the uncomfortable chains, trying to get some-what comfortable. But to no avail, I stop. Seconds later, Snow walks in.

"Welcome back, Mr. Odair." He cackled and took his seat in front of me. "You look terrible." I roll my eyes and keep my head where it is, not wanting to let him know that I have regained my strength to move.

"You struggled didn't you, you silly boy." Snow shook his head. I was not a boy. I am a _man._ This makes me snarl with my face but Snow didn't care. "They injected you with my concoction didn't they?" He pauses briefly. "Glad to know it works." He smiles proudly. "You're probably wondering why I keep calling you back here, Finnick." He stands up, circling around his overly huge desk, and comes up behind me, yanking my head back painfully to make me stare at him upside down. "I need your services again, Finnick. The Capitol is losing its…" he searches for an appropriate word "sex appeal." My eyes widen as it clicks in to what he's getting at. My fists and jaw clenching. _He's going to put me through this again. WHY? I am not going to do this. Not again._ _What sex appeal does the Capitol need? _He spins the chair around, making me face him completely. "You're an attractive young man, Mr. Odair and I'm sure you're very aware of that." He says, his eyes trailing up and down my body. "The same rules apply, I'm sure you'll fit right back in again." He eyes something behind me quickly then shifts his gaze back on me. "I'm sure you have something to say, don't you? Well I'm going to get you a piece of paper and pen so you can write what you'd like to say since I'm going to give you the antidote to not being able to move." He commands and I pray that this antidote won't make me react weird because I don't need it since the mixture wore off. He draws a vile out of his pocket in the white coat he's wearing and pops the cap open. He grabs my face and opens my mouth, pouring the contents down. I don't drink it down, but I can't help a little slipping down my throat. I keep most of it in my mouth, refusing. As much as I _did _ want to swallow it. The taste was disgusting. It tasted like a fruity metal… if that even makes sense. Thinking of the taste triggered something in my head, and tells me to get it out of me now. "Swallow it, Finnick." He demands. Instead, I spit it out into his face and all over his white coat. _Well that was a good place to dispose of it_ I smirk to myself. "You're going to regret doing that, Mr. Odair." Snow backs away, cringing as he wipes the mixture from his face. "I promise it, you will." Suddenly, he walks over and presses a large red button on his desk. In a matter of 4 minutes, I am unfortunate to again set my eyes on the beasts that are Evijan and Thane.  
>"You just can't behave, can you?" Thane walks up to my chair as I stay in the motionless façade. "Stay still" Thane laughs as he reuses the pun. He gets close enough for me to reach out and claw him, so I do. I wind back quickly, standing out of the chair and throw a punch into his jaw, then kicking him in the gut, throwing him to the floor. I grab Evijan by the arms, putting him in a hold. I swerve and smash his head into the door, knocking him unconscious. I stand there defenseless and out of breath. A sudden clapping noise erupts from Snow and I jerk my head to the sound.<br>"Good job. That's great." He says, leaning against his desk, pressing the button again. "They were the nicest guards I had. I was going to get rid of them anyways. They treated you too well. You didn't deserve it." After he says this 3 young men, seeming about my age, appear into the room. They may have been my age, but they acted nothing like it. They were worse than the description Annie gives of the scary visions and voices she hears. As soon as I thought that, thoughts about Annie assaulted my mind. _Is she okay? How is she doing? How's the baby going? … The baby, it's my kid. How's it doing? Are they okay? Are Annie and the baby still in District 4? Is the baby going to be born while I'm kept away in here? They're going to have to live their lives while I'm tortured and slaved as a prostitute for the Capitol's own voyeuristic gratifications. _ I reach for my head and pull at my hair. It seems to help Annie so maybe it'll keep my mind off all of this. I pull and pull but nothing works. Unexpectedly, the guards all grab me. One by my arm, one by the other then the last guard stands behind me just in case I decide to run. I look at Snow hatefully, how could he do this?

"Thank you for coming on such short notice. Felix, Braxton, and Hirum will take good care of you, Mr. Odair." He laughs evilly, as if what they were going to do were nothing of the sort. "Take him to room 113." The way the guards tensed up and eyes widened, I didn't have a good feeling about room _113._


	4. Chapter 4

When I imagined what would lie in the unknown or room 133, I would've never fought. I would've gave in and let them do what they wanted. The torture that lay in this room was beyond my wildest dreams. After being in there, I will never be the same. I didn't even think it was possible, but apparently, it is.

I was heaved into a large room then the door was shut. _What the hell? They're locking me in a room, that's it? Wow, sooo terrible, I'm shaking._ I scanned the room around me. _It's a trap, Finnick. They want you to think it's nothing. Watch yourself._ I took in the huge surroundings, hospital-white walls and tiles. I noticed that there was another room around the corner. _Don't go Finnick, don't. You've seen the movies… the person who looks in the obvious place, dies. _Listening to my thoughts, I decide to stay put in front of the locked door. Suddenly, I hear the ear-piercing tone of the P.A system.  
>"I hope you'll like my little… surprise, Mr. Odair." President Snow's voice crawls through the speaker on the ceiling. "Go ahead and look around the corner. I bet you were wondering where she was all this time you were locked up here…" I cock my head to the side. Where <em>she<em> was? Who was he talking about? As if reading my thoughts, Snow adds "Annie." My eyes widen and I run, against my better judgment, full speed to the room and around the corner. I felt like I was in one of those horror movies where you keep running but the hallway keeps stretching out in front of you and it seems you're going nowhere. 'Annie!' I want to scream, but I can't. I _still_ can't. Damn, this voice eliminating stuff is effective. Finally, after what seems like hours, I reach the end. I snap to the left and find myself smacking into a thick glass wall. _What the…_ My thoughts are abruptly cut off as I see her. It's Annie, all tied up in a chair with a set of 2 peacekeepers beside her. She looks terrified, horrid and utterly petrified. I bang on the glass wall with my fists but she can't hear me. Suddenly I realize what this is. It's a mirror on Annie's side, but see-through on mine. I slide down, falling on my knees in front of the wall and start to cry. _How did she get here? Why is she here? Why do they have her captive? Why can't she hear my hitting the glass? Surely she can. Maybe she can't look. Maybe she can't acknowledge I'm there or they'll hurt her. Have the already hurt her? _I take another glance at the glass. Of course they have. My heart sinks as I eye the long, deep gashes along her face, blood oozing from them. I see the sleeve of her once-white shirt has been soaked red. I try again, kicking, punching and screaming silent sobs at the glass but I get no reaction from Annie. I don't stop. I will get her attention. She has to know I'm here, I'm fighting for her. I smash the glass, ignoring the cracks as my knuckles begin to weaken and eventually break. But still nothing. After a while, I must stop because my hands are nothing but a pile of broken bones. I jump as I feel arms wrap around my waist and my neck, constricting me. I squirm around, trying to get out of the forceful grip, but fail.

"Calm down Finnick." I hear a familiar feminine voice speak. I don't care how familiar it is though, I struggle in the hold and surprisingly, the voice lets go. "Finnick, you have to stay still." The voice echoes. The room begins to slant at an uncomfortable angle and I feel myself staggering to the side of the room. I feel sick and nauseous. I turn away from the voice and whipping the drops of perspiration from my forehead. It was super hot in this room, not to mention the fact my wife is getting tortured right in front of me and I can't do anything, and I feel like I just woke in a hangover. What did she do to me? What is happening? "Just relax, Finnick." Suddenly I recognize the voice. _Katniss? What the hell is she doing here? What the hell is she doing to _me! She turns me around in so she's facing me then backs me up to a wall. "Oh Finnick. Look what you've gotten yourself into now." She says rather… _seductively_. I start to shake my head. _No Katniss, Annie's in there we have to help her!_ I try and say but it was no use. The only thing that came out was a little noise, but that's a good sign, I'm regaining my voice. But as soon as the slight happiness rears its head, I begin to lose feeling in my knees and a worried look assaults my face. _So many things she could do to me while I couldn't stop her._ I sink down the wall to the floor in front of Annie's torture room. I could see everything happening in it. It looked like they were asking her questions and if she didn't, it looked like they'd cut her or something. I closed my eyes tight with my heart pounding heart and sweat dripping down my face. I don't want to see this. "Open your eyes Finnick. I wanna see those beautiful sea green eyes." She says, as I feel her hand stroking my face. I feel violated, I want her to stop. I open my rage-filled eyes and see that she's merely inches away from my face. I try to reach my arm up and smack her hand away but to my annoyance, I am unable to. She see's my struggle and comments "Don't even try Finnick," she leans to whisper in my ear "It's not gonna work." What was she trying to do? What was whispering in my ear like that gonna accomplish? But more importantly, _WHY ISN'T IT GONNA WORK? AGAIN!_ I start breathing heavily as the anger boils inside me.

I open my mouth to speak, knowing it probably won't work, but astonished when I hear "What did you do to me!" yell out of my mouth with a raspy, rough voice. My eyes widen, I can speak again?

"Oh he can speak again." Katniss says, sourly and unamused. She backs away and sits in front of me.

"Fuck _off_ Katniss. I don't need this! What do you think you're gonna get from me now? Unless you're gonna help me, I suggest you go _AWAY!_" I say "But as long as you are here… Why the _fuck_ can't I move anymore!" I yell at her, thinking she's responsible.

"You drank some of the mixture that Snow gave you, dumbass. You really thought that was an antidote?" She says. How does she know I drank some of it? "Well it's not. Think about it, Finnick. You know what that was. The _taste_ Finnick, remember what you studied." The fruity metal… I try and remember but nothing happens. Katniss just shakes her head.

"Why can't you tell me?" I ask hoarsely, still aware of the fact Annie is getting tortured a mere 20 meters away from me and I'm just sitting here chit-chatting with Katniss. Katniss shakes her head again and casually walks away. I watch as she walks. "Katniss!" I shout "Katniss come back!" She fails to acknowledge my yelling so I stop and bang my head against the wall repeatedly. I open my eyes and lay my eyes on the agony the peacekeepers are inflicting on Annie.

"Annie!" I scream as loud as I can, still unable to move a muscle below my head. "Annie, I'm here. It's me Finnick, I'm here!" I scream at the top of my lungs. Annie's eyes up slightly but she suppresses it, trying to pretend she doesn't hear it so she doesn't get killed. "Annie, Annie I love you!" I shout, ignoring the blazing pain in my throat when I do. I watch as the tears stream down her face. The peacekeeper notices this much and yanks her head back. "No!" I scream but it's no use, they aren't gonna listen to me. To my horror, he yanks out a knife and says something silently to her, knowing I can hear. She gives one ear-piercing last scream "Finnick!" then the knife is plunged into her throat and dragged down, splitting it open. I feel like my heart fell to the floor, it stopped beating. "NO!"I cry out. "No, no, no, no! Annie, NO!" I bawl, this can't be happening, she can't be dead! But it doesn't matter how much I say it over and over in my head, she is dead. Annie is gone forever. I sit there motionless and cry, my mind replaying it over and over again. _Stab, stab, stab_ _"Finnick!" stab_. What am I going to do without her? What about Finlee? Oh my gosh, Finlee. And Ariel? What about her? Who are they going to go to without any parents? _Oh yeah, Finnick, my father, the prostitute who died in the Capitol? _Or _Annie, my lovely mother who also died in the Capitol while Finnick watched and did nothing? _I sit and wonder, _this is what they want Finnick. They want you to weep, they want you to hurt. Don't show them how much it kills you. They'll only do it more._ The voice of my long distant, also killed by the Capitol, mother's voice rings in my head. She told me that when I was getting teased at school, _Don't show them it hurts you, they'll only do it more._ She'd say, and that's exactly what I'd do. They left me alone after so maybe, I could try it here. As hard as it's gonna be, I'm gonna do it. I _have_ to do it. I hear Snow's disgusting laughter boom out of the P.A system.

"Did you enjoy my little show, Mr. Odair?" He says.

"Oh yes, very entertaining." I say as annoyed as I can as if watching the 'show' of my wife dying was _boring._

"Looks like the Siopilós has worn off." The P.A uttered out his peculiar voice.

"The who?" I ask, confused. What is Siopilós?

"Oh gosh, Finnick." That was the first time he said my first name, I grimaced as it rolled off his tongue and sizzled in my ears. I don't want him to say it ever again. "You don't know _anything_ do you. It's Greek for Silent. Which is what you should be, but yet, here you are, talking to me in a rasy voice that's rather appealing, Finnick. Save it for the Capitol ladies." I'd clench my fists and swear at him but I reminded myself _don't show it, Finnick. That's what they want. _So instead, I express amusement at up at the camera so he sees how almost bored I am at this conversation. The P.A cuts off and in a matter of 4 seconds, he's unlocking the metal door to the hospital like room that I am in. The door opens and President Snow walks in all black in his suit which makes his snow-white hair stand out. "You seem very calm for someone who just witnessed their wife's death, Mr. Odair." He comments. _Good, that means it's working. _I shrug at him.  
>"Would it mean more to you if I were to act deeply depressed?" I retort at him, staring at his grotesque face.<p>

"No, it wouldn't." He lies, I know it's what he wants, and the look on his face suggests he does. "I would like to re-converse about our little secret. I figured since you're wife is dead, it'll be easier." I can't help the slight wince I slipped by because it stings. No matter how hard I try not to look disheveled, I love Annie, I love her more than anything and I'm sitting in front of the man that took her away from me. I can't help it.

"Of course," I say bluntly.


	5. Chapter 5

"Of course," I say bluntly. "But we have a slight problem," I say, gesturing to myself with my head "I can't move."

"Yes you can." He grins superficially, playing along with whatever scheme he thinks I'm conjuring up. "But just for you, I'll call some help." He reaches into a pocket on the inside of his black coat and takes out button, summoning 2 peacekeepers. Confused, I test my limbs. I _can_ move. What? "Finnick, I'd like to introduce you to Cyrus and Bertrand." He points to each of them when he says their name, interrupting my thoughts. I squint at them, looking closer to their face_. He yanks out a knife and says something silently to her, knowing I can hear. She gives one ear-piercing last scream._ My eyes widen for a moment before I suppress the emotion, these are the same guys who were tormenting Annie! I can't stop the fact that my jaw is clenched, I want them dead. I want them all dead.

"Don't fret, Finnick-" Cyrus starts but I interrupt him.

"Mr. Odair."

"Okay then, don't fret _Mr. Odair."_ He says it with a pang of repulsion it makes me want to kill him right now even more. But I won't. Well, not yet anyways. I guess he figured he should give me a little something, seeing as he just knowingly killed my wife in front of me. "We won't hurt you, unless necessary." He says sharply.

"Oh _that_ sounds convincing." I spit out at him. In a flash second, he whips a knife still crusted with some of Annie's blood out and points it to my throat. I eye the knife. This is the knife that killed her.

"We do not tolerate attitude here, Mr. Odair." He spits right back. "I don't care that you just witnessed your wife's death. Hell, I don't care if you were half dead yourself. We have a zero tolerance, understand?"

"Don't talk down to me like I'm some pre-school child. I know how to follow rules." I roll my eyes and look away, aware of the fact I'm pushing it. He has a knife to my throat and could end my life as quickly as he did Annie's if I make enough wrong moves.

"Good" Bertrand intercepts, pulling Cyrus' arm and knife away from my throat. Cyrus pushes the knife back in its place in his belt and straightens up. Bertrand grabs hold of one of my arms while Cyrus grabs the other rather roughly.

"Bring him to my office, boys." Snow conducts and walks out of the room, not checking if we were following him. Cyrus and Bertrand tightened their grip on me when Snow left.

"Be gentle guys, I'm sensitive." I laugh. I'm shocked at myself for how easy my laugh comes, especially after what I just witnessed not more than 10 minutes ago. I belt out a scream as I feel an unexpected knife being stabbed deep and violently into my shoulder blade. I feel as the blood gushes from the new wound, streaming down my back, it gives a tingly pain sensation.

"Oops, did I forget to mention that we don't really like sarcasm either." Cyrus states as he and Bertrand drag me out the room and down a couple halls to Snow's office. I keep silent because that hurt like hell and as badly as I don't want to show them how mad I am, I am not willing to get stabbed again. They stop in front of another metallic silver door with a tiny sign in the middle indicating that it is indeed President Snow's office. _President Snow 666_ Wow, funny 666 the number of the devil. How appropriate. I snicker slightly then the door is opened.

"Boys, I thought I told you to be gentle!" Snow whines at them as he gazes over my gushing slash. He brings over some gauze and wraps it around my shoulder tightly, stopping the blood flow from the wound.

"Sir, you never told us to. You said to punish him as necessary, so we did." Bertrand says, talking with his gnarly hands. Snow clicks his tongue, shakes his head, and motions Cyrus and Bertrand to hand me over like I'm some object. Cyrus practically lets go and _pushes_ me towards Snow. I stumble but catch my balance quickly and sit in the chair across from his desk.

"So Mr. Odair, as we were talking about before…" The President continues where he left off, going on and talking about the details in his own little prostitution industry. He tells me that we will go back into the secretive bidding session where the people of the Capitol will bid their highest for me and whoever wins gets to… take me home for the night. I keep my calm façade through the entire lecture, controlling my winces whenever he mentions the fact that he did me a favor by killing Annie because it will only make my prostitution career easier. "So, are we clear on your duties, Mr. Odair?" he finishes.

"Where… do I start?" I try and sound as enthusiastic as I can but I probably came of constipated if anything.

"You will start tomorrow when you've got a full night's rest in you! We'll send you off to the training facilities as we did last time just in case you got a little… rusty… in your talents." He says with a wink. After regaining my muscle strength, I am walked over to my 'room' in President Snow's headquarters.

"Room number 4." I say dully as the silver metallic knob is turned for me by Bertrand.

"Don't even think about trying to escape out of here. You will not succeed." He warns me. "And just a little tip, don't touch the bars on the window. They'll electrocute the shit out of you." I was pleased to be walked here by Bertrand and not Cyrus. For some reason, I felt Bertrand was kinder than Cyrus.

"Wasn't planning on it." I tell him as I walk into the room, and before I could turn around or say anything else, he shuts the door.

How cold and evil this room was! There was only but one window, and even then, it was all bared up, just like Bertrand explained, so you couldn't get a good view without being afraid of touching the bars or looking around them. _At least you get some fresh air and something to look at other than this place._ I told myself. Looking around the room, I noticed that this whole place kind of has a hospital colour scheme. Everything is either white or metallic. I walked up to a bed-like object against one of the walls in this room. I touched it, it was stiff and uncomfortable. Well I was expecting this much, what was I supposed to get? A king sized plush bed? Thinking that thought, it reminded me of my Victor Home back in District 4. I had a king sized plush bed. I had everything; a wife, children and a beautiful home. It's all gone now.

I pull a chair up to the window and sit there, staring out at the half-view I have. I saw the moon glaring its beautiful glow amongst the shining starts in the dark midnight sky. I wondered if Annie was looking down at me from somewhere up there. Maybe Finlee and Ariel can see the same moon as me. What if they were? What if Finlee and Ariel were looking at it right now wondering _where's my daddy? Where's my mommy?_ I bite my lip hard and try to hold back the stinging pain at my eyes of tears wanting to overflow. I breathe in heavily, lean my head against the wall beside the window, and close my eyes. I try and think of the happy times; _Annie and I getting married, her beautiful sea-green dress, the pink sky as the sun sets on the beautiful beach in District 4 while Annie and I are holding hands, Our first child, Finlee followed by our lovely Ariel, When Annie and I first met. _All these beautiful memories scrolled through my head as I drifted away to sleep and dreamed.

_I was walking through the beach, enjoying the feeling of the pure white sand squishing between my toes, staring out at the beautiful water. I was so young, maybe 13. A year before my Hunger Games. I edged closer to the water and was relieved as the wind blew through my hair. I put my feet in and splashed the water around when I saw what I came to see. In the water, my eye caught a small, blue scyphozoan jellyfish hanging around the shore. I went deeper into the water. I loved playing with the Jellyfish even though it was stupid because they would sting me, I loved them. "Hey little Jellyfish" I cooed to it. "Come here Jelly, come here." I walked closer to it and touched it, feeling the sting that erupted from its tentacles. "Ow" I muttered to myself, but still smiling. I really loved Jellyfish. I reached out to go touch it again, my hand throbbing a little bit. I stroked it and yet again, I was stung. "ow" I murmured again. _

"_You know Jellyfish sting, right?" I hear a beautiful voice speak like a symphony. I turn around to see where this beautiful voice is coming from and see that the speaker matches the voice. She was beautiful, perfect. It was Annie. This is a replay of the time we first met. I was speechless when I saw her. She was younger than me, but not by much. Her dark hair was cascading down to her hips and flowing in the breeze, as was her sea-green dress. Her eyes, the eyes that shined brighter than the stars, the eyes that sang to me every time I looked at them, the eyes I fell in love with the very moment I saw them. "You're quite silly to be playing with them, really." She says, giggling._

"_I-uh-um…" I stutter because for a moment, my heart was beating a million miles an hour and I thought it was going to fly out of my chest. She giggles some more and I finally get a hold of myself. "I know, I like playing with the Jellyfish. They're sooo cool." I say, trying to take my gaze off her so I can talk normally. I fix back onto the Jellyfish, probably playing off as rude and not wanting to talk to her even though I'm everything the opposite._

"_Well, can I join you?" She asks, her voice raising at the end as she does. _

"_I thought you said it was quite silly." I laugh looking back at her. I look hard and I notice this isn't the young Annie anymore. I look down at myself and I'm not the young Finnick anymore. Confused, I return my gaze to Annie._

"_Nevermind, I don't want to ever talk to you again. You let me die. You sat there, Finnick Odair. You just _sat_ there and watched me _die_! How could a man ever do that?" she yells at me shaking her head and pointing her finger at me._

"_Annie, I- I couldn't move! Katniss poisoned me and even before then, I tried! I broke the bones in my hand trying, fighting for you! You couldn't hear me!" I try and reason with her, but she doesn't listen._

"_Don't try this with me! You _could_ move and you know it!" She shouts, throwing her hands up at me._

"_Annie! No I-" I start, but I get interrupted._

"_The taste, Finnick." She says, annoyed, placing her hands on her hips, waiting._

"_Why is everyone saying that? The taste, yeah it was disgusting. What else is there?" I ask, getting annoyed as well. What the hell are they talking about? Suddenly my hand gets stung again by the Jellyfish and I wake up abruptly._

I open my eyes and see that my hands are red and throbbing. What happened? It was only a dream! Then I look over and see the bars on the window steaming and sizzling. _Oh, I was stinging myself with the bars on the window._ Suddenly, President Snow's voice booms through the P.A

"Rise and shine, we have a big day today." Even though I think I should be used to the nasty crawl of his voice by now, I'm not. It still sends goose bumps all over my body and tingles down my spine. I stretch as I drag myself off the chair with much reluctance. I was _not_ excited. Walking into Snow's office, he noted my frustration and laughed devilishly.  
>"Don't worry, Finnick." He rolled on my name as if I were a best friend. "You'll fit right back in again." He gave a wink and snickered at the implied meaning behind his words. Keep your cool, Finnick. I tell myself. The whole thing would crumble to dust if I were to break now. Inside me is churning and twisting into unimaginable ways. It feels like my world is shutting down slowly but I laugh with him and surprisingly, it comes off quiet convincingly. "Training starts in half an hour." He says, handing me a slip of paper. "I expect you to be there. I will be notified if you do not attend, Mr. Odair."<br>I nod my head and look at the paper. I cock my head to the side as I try and make sense of it. After going through what just happened, I realize Its the address of my 'training' facility. It reads '56 Road East. Last house on the right." I breathe in a heavy sigh. "Half an hour... Alright. I'll be there" I say, scratching my head thinking how the hell I'm gonna get myself out of this one. But I already know the answer. I'm not. 


	6. Chapter 6

56 Road East turns out to be a really nice looking hotel not a _house_. On the outside, I could see that there were A LOT of floors. Each floor had a large set of many windows. The hotel itself was bricked with grey stones and pillars lined the entrance. I walked up with what felt like a knife jabbed in my stomach. _Was I really going to go through with this?_ I asked myself. _How could I do this to Annie? She just... Died in front of me and I'm about to practice having sex with a whole bunch of whores. I'm such a great husband._ Every time I thought of Annie and how I helplessly watched her die, I feel a darkness closing me in. _She's dead_. The love of my life is gone and I'm living the rest of my life as a prostitute. But if I don't, Snow is going to do something terrible to people I love. Even though he already killed most of them. My knees go weak and I fall on the stone steps leading toward the entrance. Everything I had was sprawled out in front of me. But it wasn't very much, just a watch and the slip of paper. I look at the time and notice that I got here early. I just stay there on my knees and take the extra time to cry. No, cry would be an understatement. I screamed out into the open as loud as I could. I was screaming Annie's name and cursing the world. Why couldn't I die too? And I know saying that was selfish because I had a kid and leaving it alone in this world forever would be a bad thing. I kept screaming until my throat started to burn and my lungs were giving out. I scratched at my neck and pulled out my hair all while screaming and crying out. Suddenly I realized the time. I was about to run late for my... _Training_. I try and pull myself together but it feels impossible. I'd never be able to do it. after all, I've realized it takes 10 times longer to put myself back together as it does to fall apart. So letting myself explode was not a good idea. But I don't care, who said I had to enjoy it? I open the grand, silver doors and set my eyes on the wonder that is the lobby of this hotel.  
>It was huge and almost everything in it was marble, gold, or silver. In the center, there was a stunning waterfall with people of all ages gathered around it, throwing coins into it and making wishes or just sitting on the surrounding bench talking. How I wish I could be like them. Carefree and no worries.<br>"You must be Finnick." A bouncing blonde bubbles beside me as she flicks her hair flirtatiously and flutters her big blue eyes. I don't reply I just look at her and her expression shifts slightly from wanna-get-in-your-pants-flirty to curiosity.  
>"You're in rough shape buddy. But I remember you from before." She says and I can't keep from staring at her mouth. She's wearing way too much lip gloss, her lips are glimmering every time she moves them to talk. "You have a great rep around here. Kind of like a role model." She says with a wink as she puts her arm over my shoulder. "Don't worry darlin', we'll fix you right up." I was scared to find out what that meant, but before I could ask her, she slipped her arm off of my shoulder and skips away. I unsteadily walk to the reception desk and a perky brunette with green eyes looks up at me with an adorning smile.<br>"Ahh Finnick, I knew you'd come sooner or later." She says. That's when I just realized what she was wearing. Or should I say... What she wasn't wearing. She had a stripped grey blazer on with a drooping neckline and... Not much underneath. _Oh god_. She probably caught me looking there so she stuck her chest out more, smirking.  
>"Room 256, Finnick. Have fun." She hands me a room key and then returns to do whatever she was doing before. Looking around the lobby closer now, I see almost all the women my age are dressed like that. <em>Is this is some kind of slut factory?<em> I ask myself, staring at the room key. I take a seat near the water fountain by myself, away from the crowd of people. _Annie is dead because of you_. A voice beckons in my head. _You sat there and let me die!_ Annie's voice rings in my head madly. I close my eyes and reach my hands up to my ears and try to block out the noise but the voices are _in _my head so covering my ears isn't going to do anything. I tear my hands away from my face and keep them as fists by my side, my knuckles turning white. _What am I going to do_? Suddenly I feel the presence of somebody beside me. I slowly open my tear-swollen eyes to look at the person. Of course, it's another bubbly blonde. Her hair is bleach blonde, her eyes are deep-sea blue and she's wearing extremely see-through top, showing off a hot pink bathing suit, and jean short shorts. Just like the other girl, she wore lots of lip gloss.  
>"Hey Finnick." She purrs as she walks two of her fingers up my arm. I immediately flinch away and scoot over on the seat. <em>I don't want this<em>. "I thought you were experienced? What's with all the drama? I've been waiting for you upstairs." She starts with anger and annoyance but then her tone softens. But again, I say nothing. I don't trust my voice to speak without crying. "You're nervous to start over again. Its okay." She says, her fingers reaching my neck then lifting up and intertwining themselves with my hair. "Wanna go swimming? I heard you liked the water, maybe you'll chill a little." She says, popping bubble gum in her mouth. I swiftly move her hand away and get up.  
>"I don't want this." I say in a raspy voice. My speech crackled and ragged from screaming and about to cry. She gets up next to me and wraps her arms around my neck. "Shhhh." She whispers into my ear. "Everything will be fine." Her breath tingles my ear as she leans in and kisses my neck slowly. I push her away quickly and give her a scowling look. <em>What would Annie do if she saw this?<em> This is disgusting. The blonde moves back in my space, runs her hands up my chest and pulls me closer to her by my shirt. I could feel her body heat radiating as she stood there pressed against me, whispering reassurances in my ear. Every time I'd pull away she pulled me closer, giving a free show to anyone who walked in the lobby.  
>"Come on, baby. Let's go swimming." She says, tugging me by my shirt and leading the way.<p>

She opens a door and we walk into an extremely humid room; the pool. It was one of those endless pools, staring into it you'd never see the end.  
>"You like?" She questions, spinning around gracefully as her hair flows with her. I wasn't sure if she was asking about the pool or her. It doesn't matter anyways because I don't answer. I won't answer. I am also rendered speechless as she takes off her top to be in her bikini. I may have been married, I may have children, and I may have just witnessed my wife die but I am still a man. It still affects me but a draw my eyes away and look at something else. My eyes force my head to turn back and I see she's closer to me than before.<br>"Finnick, I know you're nervous but..." She says looking down at my pants. Anxious and desprate to get her to look somewhere else, I lift her head up with both my hands and caress her face. "Where's the Finnick charm, hmm? You need it here or you aren't gonna survive. I know you're nervous and you don't want to do this but… you have to. You know that." She says seriously and tempting me with her eyes as she leans her face into my shaky hands. "Get in the game." She purrs and backs away, going to the pool then jumps in, motioning with her finger to join her.  
>"I-I don't have my swim trunks on.." I stutter nervously rubbing my arm.<br>"Its okay. Nothing I haven't seen before." She says, waving her hand as if it's nothing. I thought she was gonna say I could swim in my boxers but... Apparently she had other things in mind.  
>"Wait..." I start, an idea forming in my head how to make this easier. "Is there a bar here?" I ask arching an eyebrow.<br>"Of course." She says, climbing up the ladder to the pool. "Follow me."

"Pure vodka please" I slur as I ask the bartender for the 3rd time. I think he's trying to ignore me, seeing as I hog all this attention buying so many drinks.  
>"Dude, if you buy anymore, I'm gonna have to cut you off. This is way too much." He says, filling up the glass to the brim almost overflowing.<br>"Whaaatever." I say and turn to cheers with my new friend Samantha.  
>"This is soooo much fun!" She shouts, unaware of her volume. She drapes herself over me and laughs.<br>"You're totally like, a best friend with benefits." She yells.  
>"Benefits? What benefits could you possibly get out of me?" Is what I tried to say but came out more like whabenefitscudyougetouttameh? All slurred together in one phrase.<br>"Wanna" she says but is interrupted by a hiccup. She laughs and starts again. "Wanna go swimming _now_?" She giggles ignoring my question.  
>"Oh yeah! I could use a good swim." I shout unintentionally loudly.<br>"FINALLY!" She half shouts half laughs and hiccups. She grabs my hand and we run off out of the room, leaving our half drunken drinks on the counter.

"Come on, jump in you scaredy cat before I pull you in!" She yells from inside the endless pool. I stood there, sweating from the humidity and totally naked. I start on to go to the diving board but fall on the way.  
>"You can do it, come on!" She chuckles.<br>I struggle to my feet and run towards the pool, and diving in creating a huge splash that radiates off me and gets Samantha. Suddenly as if by my splash, Samantha begins struggling in the water and starts flailing her arms around.  
>"Samantha!" I slur and swim towards her, my seemingly long distant lifeguard training kicks in. Her head sinks underwater and then I drop in after her. Wrapping my arms around her fidgety body, I bring her to the surface.<p>

"Oh, you saved me." She says flirtatiously, in a way that suggests that the whole scene right now was just a show.

"You weren't really drowning." I say, completely serious. She pulls herself close to me in the water and I feel the sense of her body pressed against mine.

"No, Finnick. I wasn't." She coos and rubs her hand up my chest and around my neck. "Is that a problem? I just wanted to get close to you." She says, pouting her lip.

"I- uh… just-" I stutter, unable to finish as the gaze of her stunning blue eyes capture me. Suddenly, I realize why. They look like Annie's. The thought of her was like a blow to the head. Annie, my sweet Annibell. How could I do this to her? Suddenly, I was welcomed with unpleasant flashbacks. _"I don't want to ever talk to you again. You let me die. You sat there, Finnick Odair. You just sat there and watched me die! How could a man ever do that?" she yells at me shaking her head and pointing her finger at me. He yanks out a knife and says something silently to her, knowing I can hear. She gives one ear-piercing last scream "Finnick!" then the knife is plunged into her throat and dragged down, splitting it open. Stab, stab, stab "Finnick!"_

"Babe, are you okay?" Samantha asks, bringing me back, her hands trailing from my neck and down my chest. I realize that my hands are back clawing at my face and my eyes are shut closed.

"No, I-" I begin warily but before I finish, she smashes her lips against mine. I start to protest but her hold is too strong. She's got her arms around my neck and to my unappreciated surprise; I see her legs are straddled against my waist. Her kiss was nothing like Annie's. I hated ever second of this. Annie was cautious, gentle and always cutely curious. But this was forced, angry, sloppy and too practiced.

"Just go with it." She breaks away from the intense kiss and whispers quietly into my ear. The breath tickled my ear but brought no happiness. She nibbled my ear and then kissed down my neck eagerly. I breathe in a deep sigh, realizing yes I'm going to have to give in.

"It's just..." I force myself to say, turning on my Finnick charm. "I feel it is unfair seeing as you are wearing…" I gulp before speaking the rest "way too much clothing." I finish, proud of myself for completing it without breaking down.

"Now that's what I'm talking about." She says pulling at the string on the back of her bikini top as well as the one on her bottoms. With her arms around me and now as bare as me, she drags me underwater. With the affects of alcohol finally taking full effect, and a mind that's as gone as the wind, I go with her willingly but guiltily into the depths of the endless pool.


	7. Chapter 7

I sat there staring at the clock. It's nights like this that I'd usually watch Annie while she's sleeping to make sure she's okay. To make sure she's not having nightmares. But tonight, I'm sitting in a bed with a girl I barely know. _2:48am…. 2:49am… _The time dragged on slowly. Suddenly, I felt movement in the bed beside me.

"Finnick?" She groaned tiredly as she sat up slowly. "Finnick, what are you doing? Do you want to talk about what's wrong?" For some reason, I felt like she had to know so I told her everything. I told her how I almost died, how I thought I did but woke up in Snow's headquarters, how they tortured me to get me to do what they want, how they tried to give me the antidote to my muscle relaxant and I swallowed some but spit it out in Snow's face, and then I told her how I watched Annie die. All while crying at the same time, feeling violated and disgusting. Her face turned to that look that says 'are you serious'.

"Annie's not dead." She says, almost irritated but mostly tired. "and you weren't talking to Katniss."

"What do you mean?" I say, my eyes widening and my heart stopping.

"You told me that everyone was reminding you about _the taste_ of that stupid thing Snow gave you." She says, her eyes drooping closed. She was falling asleep as she was talking.

"Samantha! What are you saying?" I urge her to continue, shaking her slightly.

"Haven't you studied it? The _tromára_." She says, yawning. Suddenly, it all floods back into memory like a wave crashing into my head. Tromára, the poison for making its victims see their greatest fears.

"My greatest fear was seeing Annie die." I say, breathlessly. Annie's not really dead. Annie's alive! Annie's alive! "Annie is alive."

"Yes." She responds half asleep, turning her head away and stuffing it into the pillow.

"How did Katniss fit in there then?" I think aloud to myself. What was Katniss doing? _"Oh Finnick. Look what you've gotten yourself into now." She says rather… seductively. I start to shake my head. No Katniss, Annie's in there we have to help her! I try and say but it was no use. The only thing that came out was a little noise, but that's a good sign, I'm regaining my voice. But as soon as the slight happiness rears its head, I begin to lose feeling in my knees and a worried look assaults my face. So many things she could do to me while I couldn't stop her. I sink down the wall to the floor in front of Annie's torture room. I could see everything happening in it. It looked like they were asking her questions and if she didn't, it looked like they'd cut her or something. I closed my eyes tight with my heart pounding heart and sweat dripping down my face. I don't want to see this. "Open your eyes Finnick. I wanna see those beautiful sea green eyes." She says, as I feel her hand stroking my face. I feel violated, I want her to stop. I open my rage-filled eyes and see that she's merely inches away from my face. _"My other greatest fear was… cheating on Annie again."

"Ding ding ding." She murmurs into her pillow. "We have a winner. Now go back to sleep. You tired me out big time. Even _I _wasn't used to stuff like that." Annie isn't really dead so I just… _I just cheated on Annie for real._

_We lay in the meadow holding hands and staring at eachother, admiring our love._

"_Finnick, I love you so much. I miss you." Annie said as she used her free hand to stroke my face lovingly. I loved the way her hands felt. They were so soft. Everywhere she touched me, it was like an electric shock and it felt good. I closed my eyes and relished in the feel of her being right beside me._

"_I want you to come back home." She said her fingers tracing the lines of my face._

"_I want to come back home too, baby girl." I reply, opening my eyes slowly and feel the warmth my heart gets when I look at her beautiful face. "I miss you more than you could ever imagine."_

"_But how could you? How could you miss the crazy, mental, unimportant girl?" She says, looking away. How could she say something like that? Crazy, mental and unimportant?_

"_You may think you are those things but you aren't. You're golden to me." I say, looking straight into her now-attentive eyes. "I love you so much."_

"_Is that why you slept with Samantha?" She asks, abruptly angry. She rips her hands away from my face and stands. "You were showing love then?"_

"_Annie why everytime we have a nice moment, you have to go pointing out everything I've done wrong." I say, surprisingly ignorantly. _

"_Finnick! How could you!" She yells. "You were showing love alright. TO SAMANTHA!" she stomps her feet and walks in the other direction._

"_Annie, wait." I stop her. She turns around to look at me. "I couldn't not do it. They were going to torture me to ends on which you couldn't even think of." I stand up and walk beside her. "Come on, I need you again. I wanna hold you again. It feels so right." Annie turns around, wraps her arms around my neck and kisses me on the cheek. "Finnick." She coos as she kisses me on the cheek again. "Finnick, wake up."_

I open my eyes and see that Samantha is hovering over top of me with her arms around my neck and her mouth close to my cheek. "God damn it, Samantha." I say, rolling over and covering myself with the blanket. A pang of pain hitting my head and my eyes as the light from the window pierces through them. This is my punishment for drinking so much last night; a major headache and sensitivity to the light.

"What? You said you wanted me. No sorry, you _needed _me. That you wanted to hold me cuz it felt right." She says innocently. "I honestly thought that's what you wanted."

"Ever clue in the fact my eyes were closed and maybe I was dreaming of something else?" I snap at her.

"And to think _I'm_ the bitchy girl in this relationship." She responds annoyingly and I could tell by her tone that she probably rolled her eyes. I sat up quickly and pinned her down to the bed, looking her straight in the eyes.

"There _is _no relationship here, got it?" I tell her in a low, firm voice.

"What happened last night would beg to differ." She argues, smirking.

I groan and get off of her. She wasn't going to take me seriously. I eagerly jump out of the bed and throw on some pants that cling loosely around my waist. My head snaps toward Samantha as she makes a whistling noise.

"What?" I inquire, eyeing her skeptically. I notice the bed sheets wrapped around selective parts of her body which makes me want to smack myself in the face a million times. So many confused emotions I cannot describe the way I feel. She's in that bed wearing nothing but a blanket and it's all because of me. I am a disgusting monster. Annie's never going to forgive me. I'm never going to see my child.

"Nothing, oh my god. You're losing it, Finnick. You're snapping left and right." She says more but I don't pay attention as I run out of the hotel suite as fast as I can. _I need to get to Annie._


	8. Chapter 8

**I am a terrible person for not updating sooner. Please forgive me! To make it up, I'm posting most of it all at once today so it makes up for all the times I didn't update. Again, my apologies. **

**Thank you all for the reviews. It makes me UBER happy when I see them. ^_^**

* * *

><p>I darted left and right down the hall, skipped the elevator and took the stairs because it'd be faster, and out of the hotel. I didn't know my way around this Capital town very well, so I was just going on instinct. I've been here a lot when I was younger, but things change, things renovate and memory fades so I had no idea where I was going. I thought about asking directions but something told me not to just in case one of them knew what I was supposed to be doing and how I wasn't doing it. I let my mind wander as I ran. <em>Annie still thinks I'm dead, Annie can still think because she<em> isn't_ dead. _The thoughts that somewhere, Annie is home and alive keeps me moving faster and faster.

I ran and ran for hours, but it felt like I was going in circles because I never ended up anywhere. It was like I was some sort of intruder in their town because I got so many strange looks from random people on the path ways and streets. They looked at me like they knew me or trying to identify me, it was weird.

"Are you okay? You look like you're lost." I jump as a lady slightly older than me says eerily. I know she was trying to be nice, but there was a hysterical crazy tone to her voice. Especially when she crept up on me like that.

"I- I'm fine. I know where I'm going." I try and move past her but she wouldn't let me go. "Excuse me!" I say, annoyance and pent up energy dripping through my voice.

"You're Mr. Finnick Odair, aren't you?" She asks taking my face in her hands and taking a deeper look into my face. I don't answer, afraid of what she'll do with the answer. "Oh, you _are_!" she shrieks. She grabs me hardly and turns us into a dark alley covering my mouth. I instantly become tense as she takes out a huge bag to throw over my head. My eyes widen and I block her attack.

"What are you doing!" I shout as I back up and try and determine what her next move is going to be. She doesn't answer me and tries again to put the bag over my head. I rip the bag off of her, throw it to the side and grab her arms and whip them around her back in a hold so she can't move or her arm will snap. "You have 3 seconds to explain what the hell you're doing or you die because I don't have time for this! 3…" I start to count down, ready to pursue my threat. "2…" she doesn't move or say anything, she just stands there "1…" I wait "Anything to say?" I ask, but when she says nothing, I throw her to the floor, holding her down, pushing down on her face with my foot. "One last chance, lady." She still remains silent so I lift her head slightly, then violently smash it into the ground, cracking her skull and killing her instantly. I hated the disgusting crunching feeling under my foot, but it had to be done. I didn't want to die, so she had to. It's kill or be killed. I walk out of the alley, frightened and on high alert. What if there are more like her? I take in a deep breath and keep going, my head hanging down so no one else can see my face.

I walked more slowly through the town for a couple more hours. I felt hopeless. This town was like a maze, I have no idea how I'm going to get out. I look around to get a better grip on this town, searching for something that I don't think I'll ever be able to find. I turn my head to face forward again then accidently bump into someone.

"Sorry." I say, looking down and passing them. Suddenly, I feel my arms being restrained and a sharp object being pointed to my neck. "Dude I said sorry! Let me go! What the hell?"

"Don't speak." The man says as he puts the knife away and ties a rope around my wrists extremely tight. _Oh come on, not again._

"You really don't wanna do that." I threat him but he doesn't seem to faze him. He grabs the knife back and uses the knife. He moves it to its previous spot and sinks the tip slightly into my neck. I feel a drip of blood ooze out of the wound. I'm sure the Capital should know not to mess with a Victor, but clearly it seems they've forgotten.

"I said, don't speak." He repeats and leads me into a car that seems very unsafe. It was old and rusty with bald wheels. Even though they only introduced cars to us a while ago, I'm sure the people who live in the Capital could afford better ones than this. I watch through the window as he throws the knife down the road and opens the door to the backseat passengers and shoves me in, throwing me on the uncomfortable, ripped material seats. He gets into the driver's seat and starts the car.

"What are you doing!" I ask frantically, fumbling with the rope around my hands and finally it slips off. I get no answer and notice that he left the doors unlocked. He may have been going 60mph but I'd rather get a couple scrapes and bruises, maybe a couple broken bones, than die… again. I kicked open the rusty, broken door and he snapped his head back but before he could stop me, I jumped out of the car. I hit the road hard, rolling to the side and smacking against the curb. _Ouch._ I think to myself but before I stay still long enough to let the pain hit me hardest, I get up and start running, knowing that the guy is going to come back to get me. I run then trip over something gold, silver and shiny on the road. _The knife._ Yes! Karma, thank you so much. I bend over quickly and pick up the small little dagger-like knife and hide behind a small tree. I observe him as he stops his car and gets out angrily. He looks around and marches down the street, determine to find me. _They are _all_ determined to find me. _I purposely make a rustle noise in the tree so he'd notice me and turn around. And that's exactly what he did. He turned around, wary of the noise, and looked around to see if it would make the noise again, but I don't, I jump out of the trees, landing on top of him and stab him right in the chest. _Goodbye. _I need to figure out what's happening. Maybe it's just a coincidence. Crazy, poisoned Capital people. Yes, yes that was it.

I had to find the train station, it's my priority. Find the train station, get to Annie. I plunge the knife into a pocket in my pants and continue my escape.

Suddenly, I feel a person jump on my back and latch on. "Get OFF!" I shout the anger and annoyance totally identifiable in my voice. I am sick and tired of these people jumping on me and trying to kill me!

"I need you to come with me." The lady says, the voice is slightly muffled and I can tell she's trying to disguise it but for some reason, the voice and feel of the body is familiar. I flip the body off of me and pin it to the floor. She struggles hard for a moment then she gives up. The woman is wearing a long, faded yellow trench coat, sunglasses and a hat. I noticed how her hair was died a natural looking light brown, though it looked like it was previously blonde.

"What do you _want?_" I ask, very annoyed. "You, and every single other person trying to attack me!"

"Calm down," She says, the voice natural and undisguised suddenly becomes very familiar. I take hold of the hat and sunglasses, ripping them off and exposing the face.

"Samantha?" I ask, looking at the face more closely. I see that yes, this is Samantha. Either that or Samantha has a twin she never told me about. A rage fills up inside me when I realize. She's one of them? Is she planning this attack on me because I left? What is happening!

"Whoa, calm down, big guy." She says, lifting my hands off her. I take a moment to look us over. We're in a position that isn't exactly polite for public places. I instantly jump off her.

"What are you doing!" I shout, pointing my finger at her "Are you part of this whole _'Attack Finnick'_ day?"

She laughs and then groans as she tries to get up. "I was just trying to play along, I notice you've been on edge."

"Why are you here?"

"I came to find you to tell you what's going on!" She shouts back "Okay! Oh GOSH I'm soo sorry for trying to be a good person!"

"Oh… I'm sorry." I say, sliding down one of the nearby walls and sitting down. I rest my elbows on my knees and put my face in my hands and begin to cry.

"Finnick? Finnick are you okay?" She asks gentler now with a little less of her usual sarcasm and attitude. I don't answer though. I don't feel like it. I just stay still and cry in my hands. I feel Samantha's arms wrap around me as she tries to comfort me. I take in a deep breath and accept her comfort.

"Okay so you said you knew what was going on?" I ask her, finally able to talk properly but my voice was still a little raspy from crying and screaming.

"Oh your voice is sexy when it's raspy and rough like that. You've got that whole look; the tortured hot guy who's desperate to get back to his true love." She says and I turn my head slowly but firmly to look at her and tell her with my eyes that now is not the time for jokes like that.

"Sorry, yes. Uh, well I'll spare you all the gruesome details and give you the reader's digest version." I wait and I see a flash of pain across her face but it quickly fades and she continues. "The _Prez _told you he'd know if you left, didn't he? Well he noticed all right. He called me back and… well let's just say there is a warrant out to bring you back to him as soon as possible…" She hesitates before adding the last part "Dead or alive."

"That sounds serious." I say, half sarcastically. Then something curiously hits me "Samantha, why are you dressed like that?" I ask, gesturing to her trench coat and her hair. "Your beautiful hair, what happened?"

"I had to escape somehow! They weren't gonna let Samantha Jayston out, but they let Gloria Stilskin by." She says with a wink that says she's successfully fulfilled her plan.

"Escape where?" I say as I reach up one of my hands to stroke what was once beautiful blonde hair.

"The Capital, Finnick. They took me from the hotel to… ask me what happened to you." She winces as she recalls the memory. "Do you mind if I take off my coat? It's really hot." She asks. As if she actually needs to ask after… what happened yesterday. She doesn't wait for an answer and she takes it off. Its then where I get a full view of new slashes, cuts, scabs and scars across her arms, on her face and all over her body.

"Samantha!" I gasp and gently grab one of her arms to further investigate the wounds.

"Be careful! It… it still hurts." She whimpers. I've never heard her speak like this, so gentle and tender. I pull her arm to me and softly trace over the gashes with my fingers. Some of her wounds were fresh, very fresh. They were still oozing out blood.

"Are you okay?" I ask, genuinely concerned.

"Well, whatever. I'll be okay." She says, pulling her arm away.

"Samantha, it's still bleeding, you're going to lose too much blood. Let me help you." I say, ripping off a long piece of material from my shirt and tying it around her arm, cutting off the blood to the wound then wrapping it around again to cover it up. I do this numerous times to all her wounds, leaving myself with very little shirt.

"Thank you." She says, "It feels kind of better."

"I'm not done yet. I won't be done until you are feeling 100% better." I tell her, and she smiles a beautiful smile that gives me some home that she'll be okay. She's not like the Capital whores. She's actually a good person… most times. She'll find someone someday, she deserves someone. She's just someone who was trapped under Capital control because of her beauty, then morphed into whatever they wanted. Maybe they took away her family too.

"Stop staring and help me." She says sarcastically as her smile grows bigger and she laughs. I rack my brain for memories of how to treat wounds and pain like this. Some plants come to memory and I bring Samantha to help me find them. I apply them to her wounds, easing the pain slowly but surely.

"Finnick, we have to hurry. They're everywhere looking for you." As if on cue, another Capital hunter comes around the corner of our hiding place and tries to capture me. He realizes that I'm no longer alone then backs away slightly.

"Don't worry, I've got him." Samantha says, grabbing me violently and surprisingly strong. I pretend to struggle but don't actually have to.

"You sure? You don't need any help there?" An old voice rings from a distance.

"Yep, I've got him." She says lifting her hand to my throat and pretending to threaten me.

"Let me go, let me go!" I shout with fake roughness in my voice though there was already some there.

"Shut up!" She yells at me and kicks my leg hard. I let out a yelp and fall to the floor. Half of it didn't have to be faked because it was actually unexpected and hurt.

"Ha-ha, he's just a weakling! Lucky I didn't think he'd be that easy" The old voice cackles and then I hear footsteps as he walks away. I try not to take offence to that, seeing as I could probably kill that old man in 5 seconds.

Samantha bends down to help me off the floor. "Sorry, I didn't mean to kick you that hard." She whispers into my ear just in case the man is still in ear-shot distance.

"Remember that next time if I 'accidently' spear you with my trident."

"Ou, that sounds dirty. I actually might enjoy that." Samantha grins as she winks at me. I roll my eyes and keep walking.

"Do you know where there is a train around here" I ask. Maybe she'll know since she's been around here long enough and she also seemed to know where the plants are to help here.  
>"Yeah, I do. Uhm follow me." She gets up weakly and takes my hand to lead the way.<p>

She hikes me up to a small worn-down building holding my hand kindly.  
>"Here it is." She says, walking me up a small hill leading to the broken entrance of this place.<br>"You're coming, right?" I ask her, staring into her eyes. She has become somewhat of a really good friend. I don't know how I'll find my way home without her.  
>"Well... Yes, if you want me to." She says, looking down. Since when did the sarcastic Samantha turn into this sensitive girl?<br>"Of course I want you to." I tell her, gripping her hand harder, reassuring that I do want her to come. I need her to help me. We trail up the hill and walk through the door.  
>"It's empty." She observes.<br>"And quiet." I point out. "Too quiet" we walked on the creaky, wooden floor to one of the ticket vendors.  
>"Hello?" I ask, pushing Samantha behind me in case someone pops out in an attempt to kill me.<br>"Finnick, maybe we should leave. It doesn't look safe." She shudders and clings to my back as if she were about to die. Suddenly a girl pops up behind the counter.  
>"Welcome to train station 188, Finnick Odair." She says hysterically and points a gun at the thin glass that separates us. I push Samantha down on the floor and she falls easily with a groan and a thump. The woman pulls the trigger and as if in slow motion, the thin glass shatters and explodes everywhere. I duck with Samantha as the bullet grazes my arm. I groan uncomfortably and fall.<br>"Finnick!" I hear Samantha shout then another bullet and she falls limp.  
>"Finnick, you're going to have to come with me." The lady's voice threatens and she leans over the counter to grab me and pull me up. As I'm lifted, I feel something slip out of the pocket. I turn back to see what it was but then the lady snaps my head back to make me look at her.<br>"I've got you now!" She laughs hysterically and then suddenly she drops me to the floor painfully.  
>"Bitch." Samantha sputters out as she rips the knife I kept in my pocket out of the lady's back.<br>"Samantha! I thought she shot you! I thought-"  
>"It's called acting." She interrupts as she boasts her talent with her normal, usual attitude. Today, I am grateful for it because she saved our lives. Her eyes suddenly widen as her gaze trails to my arm.<br>"Finnick your arm, its-"  
>"Shh, I'm fine. Let's just... Deal with this mess, then get on the earliest train outta here." I interrupt as her face saddens and morphs into what looks like a mother worrying for her child. We dispose of the body in one of the cubboards, locking her up and stalking away. I quickly swept up the gun she used and crept it into my back pocket. The train came 5 minutes after.<br>"Wow, some luck." Samantha laughs as she puts her arm around mine, helping me walk. "Are you okay?" I barely hear here as my ears were slightly deafened by the sound of the bullet at my head then another one grazing past my arm, slicing it open.  
>"Yeah, I'm fine." I assure her but I can tell by the look on her face that I didn't convince her in the slightest.<br>"Okay well, let's get on the train and we can uhm... Rest." She tells me, leading me onto the train, blood still gushing all over the place out of my wound.  
>"Wait, you helped me so... Let me help you." She says when we're on board, sitting down in our assigned seats. The captain wasn't too happy for the mess I left trailing around, but he let it slide, seeing as I was injured, not just flushing dirty about recklessly. She rips off a snip of her shirt, showing her mid-drift and wrapping it around my arm, stopping the blood.<br>"If we get anymore wounds, we're not gonna have any clothes left to wrap our cuts in. Ha-ha.." She laughs nervously and I try and laugh with her but it comes out more like a cough.  
>"Sorry it's just... Almost getting killed 5 times takes a lot out of me. I'm exhausted." I say, closing my eyes and leaning my head back on the uncomfortable chair.<br>"Sleep then, I'll look out for you. You need to rest." She says, brushing hair off my face and then I fall peacefully into a sea of dreams.


	9. Chapter 9

**SAMANTHA'S POV:**

He looked so peaceful when he slept. Much unlike the man I was used to being around for the past 2 days. Usually, he has this mask on, showing the world that nothing affects him. He shows people what they want to see, but on the inside, he's just a sensitive, peaceful guy. The only reason he's upset and angry is because people are trying to kill him or bring him back to the President. I mean, who wouldn't be?

I stared at him as he slept, wondering what he was dreaming about. He was probably dreaming about reuniting with his love, Annie. Oh how I envied Annie and Finnick's relationship. It was something I was never able to obtain working for the Capitol and all. Every guy I met was disgusting and nasty. Not in looks, but in personality. All they ever wanted was… well as they put it 'some ass'. But Annie has got Finnick, and even though he was tortured beyond what he'd let anyone know, or anyone's imagination, he loves Annie more than anything. He'd do anything for her. Hell, he almost killed himself 5 times to get back to her. His devotion and dedication to her is impossible to find. Sometimes, I feel as if he may like me too. And that feeling keeps me going on with him. I used to feel like an empty body, a shell. Everyone else used me, but Finnick _saw_ me. Not only that, but he _cared._ I couldn't tell myself that I… wasn't in love with him because if I did, I'd be lying to myself. He was perfect to me. But I knew that he loved Annie more than anything… but that only made me love him more. _You're so_ s_tupid, Samantha. Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!_ I scolded myself. I was in love with someone I met two days ago. Someone I'd never have. Someone who was forced to make love to me. How I longed to touch his face, trace his features and kiss him. He was beautiful. Suddenly, without my permission, my hands reached out for him. I did as I wanted to do. I traced my fingers from his temple down to his chin. I trailed along his jaw then reaching back up and running my fingers across his lips.

"Oh Finnick," I sighed silently, hoping he was deep in his sleep and couldn't hear or consciously register the fact I was stroking his face. Finnick's face twitched slightly under my touch, but I only figured it was because somehow, it was making its way into his dream. He was reacting to it. I retracted my hands and kept them at my sides, telling myself never to move them again. Well, at least not towards Finnick.

I turned my head towards the isle separating seats to see an attendant strolling along the isle and take a double take on Finnick. _Oh no, please not on the train too_. I saw as she quickly disappeared then a whole bunch of other 'attendants' came around the corner. Maybe 6 or 7 crowded in a small space then they dispersed throughout the train. I thought briefly about waking up Finnick but I wanted him to rest, he needs sleep or he's gonna pass out when I need him most. One lady attendant made their way towards me with a smile as fake as fake can be plastered across her face. She adjusted her uniform and I griped tightly the knife I took from Finnick in my pocket as she walked up to me.

"Hello, do you guys need anything?" She asks, her voice giving her away.

"We're fine, thanks…" I squint at her name tag "Marcie."

"And how 'bout Finni- I mean... how 'bout your friend?" She inquired, eyeing Finnick suspiciously. I supposed that she was going to get scolded greatly for that slip-up.

"He's fine." I narrowed my eyes at her, trying to predict where she's going with this just like I saw Finnick do. I watched as Marcie looked around, her eyes fidgeting. Suddenly, a bag I didn't see she had before was thrown over my head and I was dragged away. I tried kicking and screaming but that only earned a slap, slash or smack. I tried to use the knife I had, but it was quickly taken away and I was stabbed and injected with a liquid that seemed to weaken me. I fell to the floor and I was unable to move. I heard a lot of fighting around me and I wondered what was happening as I was sitting there, useless. Unexpectedly, I was grabbed and being held up with a gun against my head, through the bag.

"Come with us or she dies." A rough man voice spoke scarily into the open. It scared me for more than one reason. One, I was gonna die if this person didn't obey them, which I guessed they wouldn't because the person probably didn't care about me. And two, I was scared for the person he was talking to.

"Let her go." I hear another man voice snarl. This voice was far more frightening than the first, but it was also somehow familiar in its deep roar. "Let her go _now._" I hear the voice say again. Suddenly I realize who's it was. It was Finnick's voice. _Finnick? What? He was sleeping. They took me away. _I heard scuffling of feet then a halt of movement.

"We can do this the easy way or the hard way. Easy way; you let her go and maybe I'll let you live, or the hard way, you all die." I hear Finnick growl angrily. I've never heard him sound so fierce and threatening. It scared me. He's never been so lethal and careless for human life around me. To my terror, I heard a gunshot, then a sickening thud.

"There's still time to back out, come on. Are we finally going to use common sense here?" Finnick inquires seriously but no one moves or says anything so I prepare myself for more death. 2 more disgusting shots are fired and a shudder rips down my spine as I hear the thuds and bumps of a human falling to the floor. I knew since there was still someone holding me that that person still had to die. Either that or let me go. I heard Finnick load up the gun and I felt the suspense of the gun being pointed at me and the person with a tight grip around me, probably using me as a shield. At this moment, I was grateful for the bag over my head. I was happy I couldn't see all the people dying around me, or the gun pointed probably directly at me. I was shocked when I heard the trigger pull and the bullet whizzed right past me and the grip the person had on me loosened as they fell to the floor. I was about to fall too but I felt more hard and gentle arms replace the forceful and hurtful ones.

"Samantha, I've got you. You've no need to be scared, you're safe now." He picks me up and brings me somewhere else I don't know. He pulls off the bag on my head and stops in an empty area. I burry my face in his chest and begin to blubber like a baby.

"Shhh, it's okay." I hear him say but he sounds distant, as if he were concentrating on something different entirely. He sets me down on the ground somewhere and then he leans in closer to me. "I don't mean to frighten you but… whatever you do, do not move or talk. Stay entirely still."

"Why?" I croak silently, reaching out to him. I don't want him to leave me alone, I'm so scared.

He hesitates before telling me, but then I guess he realized that I need to know. "They're everywhere. This train is full of them. I am going to come back for you in half an hour."

"Finnick, what if you don't. What if you don't make it?" I ask sadly. What if he doesn't come back? What if I'm stuck forever feeling like Annie? The crazy girl who lost the love of her life? I guess it's the Finnick Affect, you go crazy for him. Even in the dark of the room he set me in, I could sense the conflict on his face. I felt his rough hand cup my face gently.

"If I don't come back, get the hell off this train as fast as you can." He hesitates before adding "And if I don't come back, then this is goodbye." He brings my face to his swiftly and crushes his lips on mine. I enjoyed every moment of it, even if it was a very short moment. It was unlike him, the kiss was hard, angry, tortured, upset and scared. But it made it twice as good. He tasted like sea salt, it was beautiful. I just wanted more, I never wanted him to stop, but he pulled away, stroked my face gently and walked away without turning back, leaving me in the dark.


	10. Chapter 10

**Please don't hate me. I think my story writing skills are slowly faltering into a pit of despair. I am having an inspiration and creativity shortage. I'm losing my writing mojo for this story and I don't know why. I'm sorry readers if this story is disappointing you. v_v**

* * *

><p><strong>FPOV:<strong>

I walked away, and I didn't dare look back or I wouldn't be able to keep going on. I gripped hold of the very piece of hope I had in my hand. An IED bomb I found when I was carrying Samantha into a safe cart. This train was full of people set on destroying me and possibly Samantha too though I don't think anyone recognized her because of her disguise. I thought they were probably going to lock me in here and fuse the IED bomb on me so I'd die, but jokes on them now. I couldn't help but think that she was right. I'm probably not going to come back and I hoped that she was going to be okay.  
>I trailed though the isles and confirmed my fear. They all had it on them; the weird devil like wings somewhere shown on their body symbolizing association with the group or people who want me dead. I needed them to die before I die because it's kill or be killed on this train. There is no one here that isn't part of their group.<br>"Help! Can I have an attendant here please?" I called out into the open, clutching a chair and my stomach, faking illness to draw attention. I see a man emerge from the darkness curtains and I only see a silhouette that looks vaguely familiar. He didn't look as if he was an attendant, maybe he was the only other passenger on this train. He was wearing a ragged shirt and plain dark jeans instead of the attendant's uniform.

"Finnick?" I hear his curious voice speak out. Who is this person and why did he know my name? I stayed silent and still in the darkness, squinting my eyes to get a better look at this guy, and when I do, I suddenly realize who it is.  
>"Gale?" I croak, my voice drowning out with tiredness and almost death.<br>"Finnick, for fuck sake, what the hell are you doing here?" He shouts at me pointedly and anger bubbled up inside me. Was he in on this? Was he going out to kill me too?  
>"Are you here to kill me too?" I inquire seriously, mimicking the thoughts in my head but the threatening affect wearing out from the exhaustion.<br>"No, I was coming to get you. Now answer me, why are you on this train?"  
>"The obvious reason, I'm going back to Annie." I roll my eyes as if that were something that was plainly clear. "Now leave me or help me. I'm going to blow this train up and if you don't help me you're gonna die too. I'm killing everyone on this train." Gale walks toward me and holds his hand out for a handshake.<br>"I want to help you. I will help you. But I will not help you get back to Annie. In fact, I'm going to do everything possible to make sure you don't." He says calmly as I rip my hand out of the handshake.  
>"Then get the hell away from me." I shout acidly, outrage pouring through me.<br>"Finnick, do you honestly want to bring all of this back to her? They're going to kill her too." He says, trying to calm ne down. Then realization hits me. He's right. This was never going to stop. I'm never going to get back to Annie. If I go back to her, this chaos will follow me and will only complicate things more.  
>"We'll figure a way. Don't worry, that's why I came to get you." He reassures maturely as if he were the older one. Agony flows through my body, along with disappointment and sadness. I was so happy to finally get back to Annie that I totally disregarded the fact these people were trying to get me and weren't going to stop until they did. This anger fired and gave me more motivation to stop this terror being placed upon me.<br>"Alright well, get ready because I'm burning this motherfucker down."

"Can we help you?" An attendant woman with the same devilish wing symbol tattooed on her neck, barely visible asks gale and I.  
>"No thanks." I keep walking but Gale answers acidly and brushes past her rudely.<br>"Then I ask if you two can please take a seat." She grabs Gale but he quickly deflects the movement and we both walk a quicker pace, edging on a jog now to where we have to go. It's a good thing this selected part of the train was empty, or else we'd never be able to execute our plan.

"Dare I ask where the hell you got that bomb from?" Gale asks, gesturing towards the IED bomb I held in my hand. It was small, about the size of a 200g block of butter. The good thing is that bombs don't have to be large to be affective. This was perfect.

"Well Gale, I actually was lucky enough to come across this on the train… just moments before…" I stop myself from trailing into the details of the moment Samantha and I shared together just a couple minutes ago.

"You found it on the train?" He questions, his eyebrows shooting up and his eyes popping open, surprised.

"Yeah. Are they carrying anything flammable on this train?" I inquire, knowing they probably won't, but there was a chance seeing there _was_ a bomb here in the first place, which they did a terrible job in trying to cover up.

"Actually, yes. I was pretty shocked myself when I saw they had about 3 carts full of fuel spaced between the carts that are supposed to hold people in. I thought it was very strange but it all makes sense now. They were gonna blow you up."

"Well that's splendid." I remark sarcastically as I lead to the middle of the train which conveniently wasn't too far away since we were already there.

"Well I can strap it on; we'll set it and get the hell off here, right?" Gale asks just to make sure and I give a nod, motioning him to go on quickly because there wasn't much time until they figured out that their bomb was gone and that we were about to kill everyone. I was truly grateful to have found Gale on this train. If it weren't for him, I'd probably be dead by now. But instead of thanking him right this moment, I just tell him what he needs to do.

"Hurry."


	11. Chapter 11

Moments after Gale strapped the bomb to the train fuel tanks and set it to explode in 15 minutes, just as I predicted, the attendants started running towards us.

"Come on! We need to get Samantha!" I shout, rushing for my life and leading Gale to where I put Samantha.

"Finnick, we need to go _now!_" He hollers angrily, not understanding the need to retrieve Samantha. I jump from isle to isle, cart to cart and reach the place where I've left her.

"Finnick!"I hear Samantha scream out hoarsely repeatedly. This worried me deaply. She was hurt, terribly hurt. I could hear the agony in her voice. "Finnick! Finnick thank god I thought you'd never come back-" She runs towards me limping on her left leg, grabbing me in a hug but I stopped her short and picked her up off the ground so we could keep on moving. "What's happening?" She struggles slightly but I keep her still and stride across with purpose, dodging obstacles and meet back up with Gale.

"Finnick what are you doing!" She asks with a choked voice and that's when I notice just how damaged she really is. Her hair is all knotted up, tangled with blood and dirt. Her face, scarred up, bloody and bruised is also caked with dirt. Her limbs are hanging lifelessly as I'm carrying her weak body.

"What happened to you?" I ask frantically, the world freezing for a moment, as Gale looks at me telling me with his eyes only that if we didn't get off this train now, we were going to die. "Never mind," I tell her, shaking my head. We would discuss this later. "We're going to jump off now. Brace yourself."

"It hurts." She cries out, her weak body suddenly going tense but she groans and whimpers as she tries to brace herself.

"It's gonna be okay. Shh shh." I try to comfort her as I steady and position myself on the edge on the back of the train. The harsh wind whipped around me and Gale, causing us to sway more to the right side. I put my arm out and hold on to one of the cold silver, metallic bars attached to the train.

"On the count of three we go." Gale shouts over the sounds of the train and wind. "One…" Gale pauses as he glances behind us. His eyes widen in shock and fear.

"Gale what-"

"_Three!_" He shouts and I hesitate for a split second then take in a deep breath as I jump off the back of the train holding Samantha and alongside Gale.

It feels as if I am in slow motion for a brief moment then, I am thrusted brutally towards the ground at a hurtling speed. My arms tighten around Samantha as to ensure her protection, but as soon as I my back strikes against the ground, I let her go so. The wind is knocked out of me and I can't breathe for what feels like an eternity. My body rolls out further away from the train for a couple moments and my face was hitting rocks and weeds, my arms were getting sliced by random pieces in the course ground. I begin cursing under my breath profusely and I hear gale doing the same. It's been since I jumped off the train and I can't seem to grasp any air. I open my mouth and begin to gasp.

"Come on Finnick!" Gale groans at me as he rises from the earth. But then all is silent when we hear the cries of our female ally. Despite my recent injuries and lack of oxygen, I get up immediately and scurry to Samantha's side as she lies on the ground on her side, weeping and in pain.

"What hurts?" Gale asks.

"Everything!" Samantha wails. I get up from beside her and look around for anything that could help us. _Maybe some plants would be here or possibly some scrapped material, if need be for a sling or to wrap up gashes._

"_No stop!_" I hear a choked off scream from Samantha and grunts from Gale. My eyes widen in fear as my back is turned facing where the scream from. I get a disgusting feeling in the pit of my stomach. I know exactly what is happening. We just defeated all the bad guys in this game, so now it's the 'boss level.' I turn around slowly as I hear my heart beating faster and the sweat drip from my forehead and down my back, making my shirt stick to my hot, battered skin.

"President Snow." I utter out as I turn around. I knew this would happen. It was never going to leave me. _He_ was never going to leave me alone and I was stupid to think he would, even for a split second. I've put so many people in danger for my recklessness. It was all over now. All of this was for nothing.

"I'm proud of you, I didn't think you'd make it this far. But clearly, I've under-estimated you." The president speaks as I see him smirk devilishly.

"Clearly." I spit out to him bluntly and without emotion and looking at the ground incase my eyes give me away.

"Don't worry, this won't happen again." He says, then when I do look, my whole façade is blown to smithereens. There are about 20 peacekeepers and 5 of them are around both Gale and Samantha, holding them down on the ground with very technical guns pointed to their heads.

"You're right," I gulp down the rising lump in my throat. "It won't happen. I quit." Snow bellows out a roaring laugh that thunders off the trees in the distance.

"I don't think so. Unless you're willing to give up Annie, or Finlee, or maybe Ariel? They both are old enough now, they could take your place. Give the Capitol twice what you're giving them. Or possibly your newest unborn child." He says, pausing for affect with a smile plastered on that ugly face. My eyes practically fall out of my head as Samantha gasps again. _Newest unborn child. Annie is pregnant. How is this possible? This isn't possible. Could it be? Another child?_ A happy surge pulses through me for a moment but it's quickly replaced with a terrible feeling, eating at my insides and taking no prisoners.

"Yes that's right, Daddio. Another kid. Too bad, because you just whined yourself out of ever seeing it." President laughs again, holding his stomach. This is malicious and sickening. How could he do this to someone and still be laughing? _Well duh, Finnick. He's President Snow; he does this stuff to little children. He has no problem doing it to you. _

"Please, please" I fall on my knees in front of him, completely vulnerable and useless. Either way, I'm a terrible human being. I married Annie, had 2 beautiful kids and ran off. Now another one is on the way and she's going to have to mother them all while I'm away all the time. This is quite mess I've made. "Is there any way to possibly have you reconsider your decision? Any price please." I beg him, looking like a pathetic loser. But I don't care. I'm going to do whatever it takes to get back to my family.

"Get me another Finnick and I'll let you go." He says with that smirk still there, he knows how to play this game and I'm never going to get out of this. I couldn't make anyone else to go through this life-time punishment. I don't want to enforce this on anyone.

"I have an idea!" I hear Gale speak up. Snow's head snaps around to look at him forced onto the ground with weapons pointed at him in case he moves.

"Weapons away" Snow demands. "What is your idea, boy?" My eyes light up with hope. Maybe Gale could save me from this disaster. Gale opens his mouth but then Snow stops him. "Somewhere where others cannot hear you." I watch as Gale is walked away with President Snow. _What is he going to say? Is Snow going to listen? Is it going to work? _I shift my gaze back to poor Samantha. _She was brutally injured because of me. I was trouble and a difficulty for everyone. I shouldn't have ever been brought into this world._ Then my thoughts take a new trail _Annie's pregnant. We're having another child! Is it a boy? Or maybe a girl? What is she going to name it? When is it due?_

"You're free." President Snow's dreadful voice creeps in and detaches me from my thoughts. _Wait, what?_

"What?" My voice raises an octave, and possibilities flow through me. I'm free? I look at Gale as he winks at me as if to say he's got it covered.

"Don't make me repeat it Odair, get out and take your cohorts with you." He spits annoyingly. The peacekeepers back away and they crowd the President and they disappear.


	12. Chapter 12

"I love how he told you to get out but he's the one who left." Samantha coughs out as she tries to laugh but just ends up bringing up blood.

"Samantha! Dear God, what happened to you!" I shout in nervousness as I rush to her aid, getting her blood all over myself. Gale steps in to help as he makes a place for her to lie down comfortably and I start assessing the damage. "We need to get you to a hospital right away. Where are we?"

"Actually, I'm pretty sure we jumped off right in district four, Finnick. I'm surprised you didn't know that. I was expecting you to go ballistic about our being so close to-" Gale states and an alarm goes off in my head. **District four. Annie. Our kids.**

"Annie! She's here! I'm- Annie's here! She's- I'm- We're-" I begin to go… ballistic.

"Well it was silence was nice while it lasted." Samantha sputters, her sarcastic attitude making its re-appearance. I take a look around, I've been around in every corner of District 4, and I should know where we are. I take in the green grass and trees. There were none of those around unless they were palm trees… unless you were in one of the forest areas. The forest areas were only on the outskirts of town. So we were right before the part with all the stores Annie likes.

"I know exactly where we are, follow me." I reach down, pick up Samantha, and begin walking to the nearest hospital that was conveniently only 5 minutes away from here. I remember having to go there after shopping with Annie because she had one of her freak outs and started lashing out at people. I hated it when she did that. She was so much harder to control.

"You know where we are now?" Gale asks but I don't turn to look at him when I answer, I keep my gaze locked on Samantha, whose condition was deteriorating quicker than mine and Gale's. I limped weakly and Gale followed behind. We were all going to need some serious fixing up.

"I know exactly where we are." I say when the idea comes into my head that I have a very important question to ask Gale. "What did you tell President Snow?"

"Oh nothing important." He brushes it off like it was nothing, like it was a regular conversation with one of your friends.

"Nothing important? Gale, are you insane? You just saved me from my lifetime of imprisonment with President Snow!" I shout at him, but I still don't stop walking towards the hospital.

"It's nothing, okay? But don't worry, I didn't do anything stupid. It's all under control. New topic." Gale says frantically, desperate to change the topic.

"Okay… have you uhm… visited here before now? Have you seen how Annie's been doing?" I shuddered to ask. What if she's been seeing other guys thinking I've been dead? If she were happy… I guess that'd be… okay. Who am I kidding, if Annie found someone else, I'd die inside. Maybe the kid isn't mine, what if it's someone elses?

"She's… she's been doing kind of… terrible really." Gale admits as I can feel the intensity. "She's been having those weird spasms and she's going crazy talking about these… these-"

"Voices?" I fill in for him, he's new at this.

"yeah those. They 'attack her' and she goes nuts, really."

"Annie's not crazy." I correct him, as if that response is a reflex.

"Okay, whatever you say, dude. Your chick is nuts."

"Stop it! Tell me what is happeneing to her, don't say things like that or I swear to god, Gale I will-"

"Hey hey boys, calm down. Someone trying not to die here." Samantha whispers so weak and softly that I can barely hear her. It's a good thing I spent a lot of my old summers with Mags. That lady couldn't speak clearly for beans, but since I helped her out and spent time with her, I began to gain the talent of translating gibberish.

"What'd she say?" Gale requests to know, his voice growing slightly annoying.

"She wants us to calm down, she's trying not to die." I look down at the girl growing heavy in my arms. "Hang in there, Samantha. We're almost there." I encourage.

The city was growing larger and clearer in front of us. We'd be at the hospital in no time.

"I can see it! That's it right?" I hear gale excite from beside me as he points is finger out in the distance towards the white building.

"Yes, about 3 minutes."

Samantha was beginning to become extremely difficult to carry but I stuck it out even though it felt like we were walking for 3 decades rather than 3 minutes. The hot sun didn't help either, sweat dripped down my back and I was becoming more and more of a mess. Blood, mud, and dirt matting my face, hair, and pretty much my entire body so unless you wiped my forehead, you wouldn't even be able to tell I was sweating. We got deranged looks from District four passer-byers. They probably thought we were insane. I trudged up the lengthy, steep hospital stairs and Gale barged open the door.

"Help us, help us please!" We both shouted, and it didn't take long before 3 nurses came running our way. One took Samantha from my arms and another took Gale and put them both on wheely hospital beds. My arms were left quivering from having carried such a weight for the duration of time. A nurse came to me too and helped me onto a hospital bed. She wheeled me past a whole bunch of rooms but I just lay back on the bed and closed my eyes. _I wish Annie where here. I want to see her so bad._ I miss Annie so much, I swear I could hear her voice screaming. Not quite pleasant but at least it something.

"All right, Mr…. What's your name?"

"Odair." I whimper and open my eyes to see a nurse writing down on a paper as another hooks me up to wires and tries to clean me off.

"Odair, huh? Does that name sound familiar, Nancy?" The nurse asks the one cleaning me off.

"I'm pretty sure we have an 'Odair' in room 412." My eyes widen when I realize what this must mean. _Annie is here. Annie is in the hospital._

"That's not far from here, what a coincidence, eh Mr. Odair?" the screams from moments ago, those weren't my head. Those were real. When I pay more attention now, I can hear them clearly. I abruptly bolt out of the bed and out of the room, wincing when the wires get ripped out of my arm, but I ignore the pain.

"Annie! Annie!" I scream as I run, looking at the doors checking for room 412. 410… 411… then I see her and my heart stops. The whole world freezes for a moment. _Is this real?_

"Annie! What's happening to Annie!"

"Calm down, Mrs. Odair. Just breathe, think happy thoughts."

"What's happening here?" I shout. _Why isn't anyone paying attention to me! _

"Sir, can you please leave?" A nurse, whom I'm pretty sure is either Nancy or the other one, puts her hand on my shoulder, leading me away but I can't move.

"Let _go!_ That's my _wife_!" I wrench out of her grip and walk over to Annie and the nurse.

"Excuse me but can you please get this man out of here?" The nurse helping Annie gestures towards me as Annie screams more, successfully blocking out my shouts.

"That's my wife! You're telling me I can't see her!" I shout, my hands reaching up to my hair, pulling at it. Gee thanks Annie for getting me in that habit.

"Sorry sir, but this woman's husband has been dead for a while now." Nancy tells me. Little does she know that's she's practically telling me I'm dead._ Damn it Annie, open your eyes._

"I'm here aren't I? Or am I dead? Please! Let me be with my wife!" I scream at Nancy, stupid little nurse. Wishing I had worn my wedding ring, this would've made things a lot easier. I ignore the stupid nurses and reach down for Annie's hand. Bending over slightly, I level my mouth with her ear and I whisper soothingly as she screams bloody murder.

"Annibell, sweet Annibell. Open your eyes, please. I love you, I'm here. Look at me, I'm here." I begin to cry, I thought this moment would never come. Suddenly Annie's screams become louder then stop completely. Her eyes become very wet as tears stroll down her cheeks.

"Oh I miss you Finnick, I know you're here with me now. In spirit. I knew you would be. I was counting on it." She whispers under her breath. Again, if it weren't for the time I spent with Mags, I wouldn't have heard her.

"Baby, I'm right here, open your eyes. I'm alive. Please look at me." I beg her, squeezing her hand a little harder, as to show proof I'm real.

"Nurse Jen, please stop squeezing my hand, you're hurting me." Annie tries to speak normal. I've heard her do this before, she speaks more formal as to try and hide her 'insanity'.

"Open your eyes Annie!" I command her; she has to open her eyes sooner or later. "They don't believe me; they want to kick me out. Give them some kind of sign. They want me to leave." Her eyes bolt open and she opens her mouth to say something then her eyes lock with mine. I can see the emotions running through her head: confusion, surprise, pain, shock, scared. She goes pale white and I guess you could say like 'she just saw a ghost' because to her, that's probably what I seem like. A dirty version of a ghost covered in blood and mud. _Maybe she doesn't recognize me. _

"It's me, Finnick. I'm alive." I whisper to her gently, still not letting go of her hand but loosening my grip, predicting what she's gonna do next. She opens her mouth and a huge scream comes out as she jumps back on the hospital bed. Suddenly, I'm grabbed by strong, forceful arms.

"Sir, you're going to have to come with me." A low masculine voice roars sternly as he tries to drag me out of the room. I begin to try to break away but his grip is too tough.

"Stop!" Annie shrieks once and the man halts.

"Is he with you?" He asks and his grip loosens slightly.

"Y-yes. He's finally with me." Annie's face gains some of its colour back as she smiles and the tears begin all again. The man lets me go and I run straight to Annie. Her arms reach up and I swoop down to encircle her in my arms.


	13. Chapter 13

"But this is impossible… you- you died. Everyone thinks you're dead. You're dead. I'm dreaming." Annie starts rambling, her head shaking back and forth.

"Why are you in the hospital, baby?" I ask, breaking away from the hug, but still holding her hand. I take a good look at her face. It's caked in sweat and her hair is matted to her forehead. Her usually bright, happy and curious blue eyes now seem strained and tired.

"He's here. Our new baby! Oh I forgot you have no idea! Finnick, we're having another one!" She shouts excitedly. "Oh my goodness, you _need_ to see Finlee, he looks just like you! And Ariel too, she's so beautiful though I'll take credit for that one, she's my mini-me." She laughs, and the sound instantly relaxes me like it always did. The soft melodic tune that rings in my ears and sends tingles down my spine. I haven't seen Finlee and Ariel for what feels like forever. But even though she laughs, I can see behind her eyes she has so many questions. As if she were about to ask one, her mouth opens slightly then she's interrupted.

"Okay, let's save the reunion for later, we have a baby to deliver." Nancy states rather loudly as she walks over and helps the other nurse. Nurse Jen. Annie grips my hand hard and from what I can see, she's giving a push. I keep at Annie's side and encourage her, not like she needs it because it looks like she's got it all under control. I help her in breathing exercises, then after half an hour of intensity, our new baby boy, Sebastian Odair, is born.

* * *

><p>"He's so beautiful." Annie coos as she holds our baby in her hands as she lies tiredly in her hospital bed.<p>

"Just like his mommy." I lean down and kiss Annie on the forehead, and then I do the same to the baby that is cradled happily in Annie's arms. She was right; our third child defiantly is beautiful. He has a little black fluff of hair on the top of his head and a face like mine, mixed slightly with Annie's.

"Moooooooooooooooooommmmyyyyy" I hear a little girl voice sing as the door opens to Annie's room. "And… who is this?" _Oh that one hurt. They don't even recognize me? It's okay Finnick. It's normal, they thought you were dead. And not to mention, your back is facing them, they can't see you._

"Don't freak out, but…" Annie says then I turn around and see her face go completely white, just like Annie's did. _And you're covered in blood and mud, smart one._ I mentally face-palmed myself for that one. It's been so long since I've seen her; she's so beautiful just like her mother. Annie wasn't kidding when she said Ariel was her mini-me. Her dark hair cascades in waves that look as soft as the ocean, almost all the way down to her waist. _Boy, does her hair grow fast._ Her deep blue eyes sparkling in the bright hospital lighting, but now even more so now that she's laid her eyes on her father, whom she's presumed dead up until this very moment. A huge smile assaults my face. I've missed her so much. It takes all my will power not to run up to her and hug her like I've wanted to for so long.

"Mom… who- who is this?" She stutters as her eyes bulge wide and her mouth gapes slightly.

"Ariel, I hope you don't mind the plain donut, that's all the shop had here, stupid hospital food. I mean, what donut shop doesn't sell chocolate donu-" I hear Finlee as he opens the door, the he drops the food he's holding and his eyes pop out too.

"Oh my gosh." I can't help the whisper that escapes my mouth. The children I've longed to see since I was taken away are standing right in front of me. I never thought this moment would come. Finlee looks exactly like me. I almost felt the need to wave my hand out to make sure I wasn't staring into a mirror. His bronze hair is slightly messed and falling in front of his sea-green eyes. And he's grown to be so tall!

"D-dad?" Finlee says as he comes forward slowly, looking around him cautiously. "I'm not dreaming, am I? This is real?" I can't help it as the tears run down my dirt covered cheeks as I watch him slowly make his way towards me with Ariel following close behind.

"This is impossible, you… you're dead!" Ariel whispers as she holds on to Finlee's arm. _Why are they so scared of me? Clearly I'm not dead. Can't they see that? Shouldn't they be happy?_

"I've missed you guys so much. I know it's going to be difficult to understand but, I'm not dead. I escaped the Capital. I was told _you guys_ were dead, but as soon as I found out you weren't, I tried my hardest to get back to you. Trust me, it wasn't easy. But I made it." I paused to let that sink in, looking back at Annie holding our newest child with a worried expression on her face. "God, I missed you guys."

"So this _is_ real? Dad is alive again?" Ariel shouts. She lets go of Finlee and she smiles for a moment then frowns. "Daddy, why are you so dirty?"

"I've been through a lot to get here, dear." As soon as I said that, my wounds fired pain through me like a siren. Blaring over and over again.

"Are you okay, Finnick?" Annie's concerned voice rings in my ears. I stop myself from wincing and take a deep breath to answer.

"I'm fine, I'm just so happy." I try my best to make it sound legitimately happy but it doesn't work and comes out more painfully.

"I'll call the nurse." I hear Annie reach over the bed and call the nurse with a red button that was placed on the side of her bed. Ariel doesn't seem to mind my dirtiness and she runs up to me and hugs me, smiling.

"I missed you so much daddy. I'm so happy you're back!" her grip on me tightens significantly and as painful as it is, I don't complain. This is what I fought for. I lift my head again to look at Finlee, my little man, who is frozen still in the middle of the hospital room.

"Finlee, are you okay?" I ask, still holding on to Ariel, but wishing Finlee would come here so I could hug him too. I understand it might not be the most pleasant hug for him, seeing as I'm covered in dirt, mud and… blood, but I need him to not be afraid.

"I- I need a moment." He walks swiftly out of the hospital room and shortly after, a nurse walks in with a wheelchair.

"Mr. Odair, please, let me help you." She asks me and gestures toward the chair. I reluctantly release Ariel and sit on the chair, feeling slightly more relaxed as I sit.

The nurse wheels me down the white hospital hall and as I sit in the chair, I look around to see if I can spot Finlee. With no luck, I let her wheel me into the room. She sets me down in a bed and hooks up a whole bunch of things into me; one of them which I'm sure is morphling to ease my pain. She leaves me and tells me that a doctor will be with me in a minute and instructions to call her if I need her assistance before then by pressing the red button situated on the side of the bed. I lay there, staring up at the ceiling, feeling the effects of all the medication begin to take effect when I hear familiar voices from the other side of the curtain. I know it's rude but I can't help it. I grip the curtain and pull it aside to reveal a very intimate looking embrace shared by Gale and Samantha.

"Get a room!" I shout at them with my croak of a voice that is left and they both turn around with the guiltiest looks on their faces. They look as if I just caught them committing a crime. I begin to laugh as they detach themselves and gale gives me a look as if he wants to kill me. I smile as I hear Samantha giggle and I close the curtain. I'm happy she's moved on to someone who will be able to be there for her. Not a Capital tool. Gale rips through the curtain with a smug look on his face as he approaches my side of the room and sits on a chair beside my bed, Samantha following behind.

"For your information, that _was_ our room." Gale says and laughs at the same time as he reaches down to hold Samantha's hand.

"What did you say." I demand to know. Not just now, but before. What did he tell President Snow to make him back off.

"I said, _for your information-_"

"No not that, What did you say to President Snow?" I look him in the eyes, trying to exude intensity but the morphling is becoming exceptionally potent and I'm getting tired and weak. He shares a glance with Samantha and she leaves.

"Well, what did you say?" I question again, my voice raising louder.

"Calm down. Samantha doesn't like to hear it so she left." Gale takes a deep breath and continues. "I made him… a deal. Samantha wasn't really the best employee for the Capital. She was losing her mind with all the emotional torture they were putting her through. She had no family, no friends. She had no one. Imagine how difficult that was for President Snow to threaten her." He gives a breathy laugh "Anyways, I agreed to take Samantha off his hands if he'd let you go. Now that I think about it, it makes no sense, he lost two workers, but oh well. He should be smarter." Gale shrugs and his explination leaves me confused. President Snow agreed to let me go if he took Samantha? _How does that make any sense?_

"Couldn't they just kick her out?" I ask, my voice barely audible but Gale heard me.

"She wouldn't leave. It was the only place she had to stay." He replies, ruffling his hand through his hair.

"Oh. Well thanks, man. I owe you, big time." I say, but I'm not sure if he understands me because it's mostly mumbled then I pass out.


End file.
